In this enriching episode of International Gospel Hour, we delve into the life of Joseph, a pivotal figure in the Bible whose story is a remarkable testament to faith, perseverance, and divine providence. Discover how his life, characterized by significant dreams and challenging trials, set the stage for the pivotal events in the Old Testament. Through Genesis 37 and beyond, Joseph’s story provides insights into overcoming adversity by living a life that is pleasing to God.
00:00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgment of Joseph’s Story
00:00:20 Introduction by Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour
Let’s speak of one today who acknowledged God’s greatness in his life with these words, God sent me before you to preserve a posterity. Let’s talk about that one individual named Joseph. Our study today from the International Gospel Hour, you are right here with us. Let’s go.
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Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour.
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Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, thank you always to our J-Web, and greetings and hello everyone. Great having you with us for our studies today from the International Gospel Hour. You know, 2 Timothy 3 and verse 16 says, “…all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Today may we take the word of God and be instructed within that righteousness as we discuss one of the most wonderful characters found in the scripture. I’ll be back in just a few moments as we will begin our study from Genesis 37. But for right now, our J-Web.
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SPEAKER 01 :
Now, friends, let’s begin our study of Joseph by beginning in Genesis 37, and we’ll begin with verse 1. Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers, and the land was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic or a coat of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Now Joseph had a dream and he told it to his brothers and they hated him even more. So he said to them, Please hear this dream which I have dreamed. There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then, behold, my sheave arose, and also stood upright, and indeed your sheave stood all around, and bowed down to my sheave. And his brother said to him, Shall you indeed reign over us, or shall you indeed have dominion over us? So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers and said, Look, I have dreamed another dream, and this time the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me. So he told it to his father and his brothers. And his father rebuked him and said to him, What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you? And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Friends, have you ever considered the amount of Scripture written about Joseph? You know, in looking at this, I want to note with you the writing of one John Butler, who suggested three reasons why so much is written about Joseph. Reason number one, the explanation of circumstances. You know, without this record of Joseph in Genesis 37 and then where it picks up in Genesis 39 through the end of the book, we would be puzzled about the circumstances described beginning in Exodus chapter 1 and verse 8 that says, Now there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. So it explains the circumstances and leads us into the book of Exodus to where we find this new king that did not know Joseph bring all type of pressure and persecution upon the children of Israel there in Egypt. Here’s a second reason why so much is written about Joseph. His example of conduct. You know, Joseph’s life is nearly impeccable. It teaches upright conduct. And few men give such great example of godly living. You know, I love this simple overview of his life that I want to place here within this thought. And they all begin with the letter R. First of all, Joseph remembered God in his youth. He could not have been such a success if he did not actively seek God in his youth. In Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 1, we are reminded to remember thy Creator in the days of your youth. How Paul commended Timothy as a young man to be an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity, 1 Timothy 4.12. And how in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 22 that he told Timothy to flee those things that he had mentioned. But he should follow righteousness and peace and follow a number of good things, watch it now, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. I love to see young people that strive for the Lord have such good close friendships and grow together and their faith continues to grow. He remembered God in his youth. Second, he remained faithful in hardship. And you know, the Christian is taught to remain faithful unto death, Revelation 2 and verse 10, to endure to the end, Matthew 10, 22, and the great example of Joseph remaining faithful when the times were difficult. how he resisted temptation with Potiphar’s wife, and how James 1, verses 13-16 reminds us that when we’re tempted, we’re not tempted of God. For God cannot tempt man with evil, neither tempt he any man. And we’re reminded that one is tempted of his own lust. And once he gives in, it can grasp him. Joseph resisted temptation. He remembered God in his youth. He remained faithful in hardship. He resisted temptation. And he repaid evil with good. My, I don’t know how many of us could do that, friends. When his brothers came to him, Joseph could have really lowered the boom. But he repaid their evil with good. Romans 12, verses 19-21 says, Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. What a great pattern of an example of Joseph’s conduct. Not only the explanation of circumstances during that time and the example of conduct that we see, the importance of why so much is written about Joseph, But he’s also brought forth as an exhibit of Christ. He is an excellent type of Christ, which merits, of course, much to be written. Simply put, without Joseph, the seed promise through Abraham would not have happened. We note that in Genesis 12 and Galatians 3. Speaking physically, Abraham was Joseph’s great-grandfather. Now, when we look at 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 11 and Romans 15 and verse 4, we read of these things of the Old Testament written aforetime, written for our learning. And we also note that they are written as examples that we should follow to seek the good example and avoid the bad. And so the seed promise would not have happened if everybody would have died from that famine. But that was not God’s plan. And you know, if we were to select a theme with a study of Joseph, I want to submit to you it very well might be Genesis 45 beginning with verse 5. But now do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Friends, let’s think about that for a moment. God sent Jesus to preserve life. God sent Jesus to preserve that posterity. God sent Jesus to save our lives. And what a great deliverance indeed it is. You know, when we think about that word preserve in Genesis 45 and verse 5, it means to live or to have life. And Joseph is referring to the famine that came upon them. By Joseph’s planning and the storage of food and provisions, they were able to live, to have life. And of Jesus Christ, well friends, one is able to have life, redeemed from sin, made new, a new life in Christ, Romans 6, 3-6 and Colossians 3, 1-4. And then in verse 7 of Genesis 45 says, Meaning, God sent me before you to preserve a posterity, if you will, to prosper, to sustain, to nourish, to place a new relationship. I mean, in verse 6, Joseph said there are still five years to go, but yet how they would do better. They would sustain, they would nourish, they would grow. They would not and could not go backward but forward. And in Christ, one continues going forward. 2 Corinthians 5, 17 says, and Ephesians 4, 20-24. In Jesus Christ, indeed, we are blessed by a great deliverance, delivered from sin. And through Joseph, we see the one God sent to deliver Egypt and, of course, Israel. Through Christ, we continually see the one God sent to deliver everyone from all over the world from that great sin. Dear friends, Have we given you some thoughts today about your life? Would you like to study further? We always love to encourage good, sound Bible study in between our broadcast. Here is our J-Web with those details.
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SPEAKER 01 :
Dear friends, as Joseph delivered those in the days of old, Christ delivers us now. Let’s think on these things, and let’s study together at another time. And thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
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God be with you till we meet again.
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Thank you for listening to our broadcast today, and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s Word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com.
